Nonconformist Chapels in Lincolnshire
There was, and is, a significant nonconformist presence in Lincolnshire with, in particular, a strong Methodist presence
The birth-place of John Wesley is at Epworth in North Lincolnshire, just across the county boundary, and he is known to have preached in Lincolnshire.
The chapel buildings, in all their diverse forms, have been, and often still are, an important part of the spiritual and social life and architectural landscape of Lincolnshire. Their diversity is part of what makes these buildings important, and reflects differing social, economic, religious and aesthetic values and aspirations of the communities who built them.
As congregations have declined some of the chapel buildings have become increasingly at risk of losing their character through conversion for all sorts of purposes, or from demolition after long periods of disuse. With that in mind the Historic Environment Team decided to carry out a survey of the chapel buildings to find out how many of them survive, to what extent they have retained their character, and what it is that gives them their character.
The survey was started in 2004, and was continued intermittently over the next few years. The project was finally completed in 2013.
You can download the reports for each district below.
Maps are reproduced from OS Mapping with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office (C) Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown Copyright and may lead to civil proceedings. OS LICENCE 100025370